


Before the Tragedy

by Kitsunespooky, ponninja, TheCrowBitesDust



Category: My Friend Pedro
Genre: My Friend Pedro - Freeform, Neglect, Siblings, drugs tw, guns tw, tldr mitch is a shitty dad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-20
Updated: 2019-08-20
Packaged: 2020-09-18 19:57:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20318656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kitsunespooky/pseuds/Kitsunespooky, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ponninja/pseuds/ponninja, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheCrowBitesDust/pseuds/TheCrowBitesDust
Summary: Takes place when Ophelia is 17, Vigilante (known as Guy here because it is a Perfectly Generic Name) is 15, and Denny is 9.The siblings try to deal with their problems with rival gangs, drugs, isolation, neglect, etc.[ Based on a Discord RP between the three of us! Will probably update a few times a week, and rewrite this summary/title/ etc. EDITED! ]





	Before the Tragedy

**Author's Note:**

> Kitsune was Vigilante, TheCrowBitesDust was Denny, and ponninja was Ophelia/Environment.

The middle child of the three siblings was trying to whip up something fast and easy for the three to eat that evening. The kitchen had been a disaster ever since Mitch let the gang members take over caring for the three and it aggravated him to say the least. Spaghetti wasn't too hard to make. Or at least it shouldn't have been, but the mob member sitting shamefully at the table would disagree as he wasn't even sure where any ingredients were. Though the teenager kept quiet about it, as he did with almost everything.

  
Ophelia was under the kitchen table, which was marred with slashes and never-fading red stains. She was on her knees, picking up the green and clear shards of glass .

"God damn it," She said, sweeping the debris into her hand. "I hate it when they smash bottles everywhere like idiots." She thought about her statement as she got up, almost bumping her head on the worn wood. "Actually, you're automatically, infinitely an idiot if you joined a gang... or a mob."

She walked over to the trash can, almost filled to the brim with takeout boxes, pill bottles, and half-used syringes. The purple-haired girl tilted her hand over the trash pile, where the shards tinkled and slid through the paper plates and blood-soaked paper towels.

"Denny!" She bellowed, following up with a "Guy!"

  
Denny squeaked at the noise, but scurried down to his sister's call. His red shirt was faded and torn in a few places- he fiddled with the small holes nervously as he entered the kitchen.  
Guy turned his head to his sister's call to acknowledge he was listening. He served up the pasta into three small bowls before coming over to his sister to see what she needed. He kept an indifferent gaze as he slid his hands into his pockets in a relaxed motion.  
She glanced at the pasta, steam rising into the air. The porcelain was chipped and dull, its shine lost from its years of use.

"Can you guys at least help clean up this hell hole before you go ham on your cuisine?" Ophelia said exasperatedly. Broken glass still littered the floor, the white tile stained with shades of greens, yellows, and reds.

Oh the red. It was everywhere.

"And we're out of bleach." The eldest said, sighing. "Denny, how much did you scam out of Mr. What's-his-face?" She asked her youngest brother as she scanned the house. He too was a part of the redness.

  
"$150" As he spoke the boy withdrew a crumpled bundle of bills from his sleeve and tossed it onto the table. But the slight pause in his movement gave away the fact he was hiding something else.  
He returned to messing around with his shirt sleeves, picking at the loose threads and not meeting anybody's eyes; conspicuously ignoring the mob guy sitting smoking at their table, who was eyeing the wad of cash Denny threw down.  
Ophelia took the faded green paper from him, glaring at the mob guy with such an intensity that he looked away from the cash.

"Get up and out of here." She spoke calmly, but with a touch of ferocity. The mobster did as told, finally leaving the siblings in solitary peace. "Guy, go lock the door. Or all of the doors. And get the Glock and make sure that hard ass is leaving for sure."

She remembered the nervous shifting Denny was doing moments before. It was a different type of nervous shifting than he usually did. With bills clutched in one hand, she snatched her brother's wrist and sleeve in the other.

"What's that?" Ophelia asked, practically towering over the small boy. She knew he would soon grow up to be her height, or even taller, but she decided that it was her prime time to put her foot down and make it clear that she was in charge of these gremlins.

  
"S-shit!" Denny shivered in his sister's grip, looking much like a kicked puppy.  
"I-I didn't want to put it all out straight away, in case-in case that man took it..."  
He shook his sleeve out as best as he could in Ophelia's grip, and another crumpled ball of $150 dropped to the floor.  
Ophelia swiftly bent over and scooped the rest of the money up, counting the wads again just to verify. She handed Denny a 20, and commanded,

"Go get three gallons of bleach. Wear the black hoodie and make sure you turn away from the cameras. Keep your head down. If you need anything, use the burner."

Said jacket was wrinkled and ragged on a chair next to them.

"Be quick."

  
Guy watched the two briefly as he wished to see the ending of this. While the roughness of how Ophelia was handling things did make him generally uncomfortable, it didn't really faze him anymore. Nothing did. He was too numb from whatever substance he could scrounge up every other week or so. His nerves were fried.

The blood didn't bother him, and he left the two to their conversation. The brother did as told and grabbed the small pistol from the gun compartment hidden in the living room and locked every entrance known. From how much he used to climb around and explore the house when he was younger, he knew every entrance point. Though he was sick of the way they were living, he had no choice but to comply with his sister's demands and to fend for his less than functional family.

The mobster didn't quite enjoy being kicked out, he knew Mitch would have his hide later, but that didn't seem to be the issue now as Guy gave him a shady glare before letting his younger brother out and locking the door. "Idiot." He mumbled to himself before returning to Ophelia.

"Should we go with him?" He knew how the people around here treated Denny being a runt, but he didn't mind having to defend his little brother. It's not like it's anything different than what he's done before in life

  
"Yeah, go. Protect his feeble behind. If I have to hack any security cameras while you're out, I'm locking you out of the house." Ophelia said, immediately going back to the floor and picking up the broken beer bottles and glass syringes. She put the money in on of her blue shorts' pockets.   
"I mean, I'm not going. But you are." She gestured to Guy.

  
Denny stumbled out, having grabbed the jacket off the chair beforehand. He clutched the $20 in his fist, hidden by the oversized sleeve of Guy's hoodie.  
As soon as the door clicked shut behind him some of his fear faded, and he moved with more of a lupine grace as he dodged and weaved through dank back alleys and abandoned streets as sure as a hound in its territory.

  
Soon he found himself in the more 'regular' populated part of the city and headed to the nearest one-stop supersaver shop with head down and eyes not meeting any faces.

  
In the dimness of the store, the flickering of pink and green and aqua neon signs illuminated a group of boys' faces.

They were hunched over their phones and stood in a small circle, shoulder to shoulder. Head to toe they were decked out in Adidas and Supreme, and their pants sagged over their probably fake Balenciagas. They were fittingly near a cigarettes' display, unguarded, and a tower of Monster Energy cans, the bright green cutting through the low light.  
  


Guy rolled his eyes. "At least eat your food before it gets cold. I'm not cooking anything else for you." He pocketed the glock and made sure he had a few magazines of ammo before chasing after his brother.

Stupid sister, stupid dad, stupid mob, stupid family. He just wanted to be left alone to himself and Pedro. Pedro was really the only friend he had and it baffled him how no one else could see the sentient fruit. It was nice to have someone though. Better than nothing even if Ophelia berated him about his drug issues and the things that followed him around.

  
Denny shrunk back at the sight of them, and clutched the note tighter. He withdrew further into the oversized hoodie, ignoring the way it smelt like drugs and blood and sweat, and tried to just scamper by the aisle, darting down another one that clearly wasn't what he was looking for.  
Unfortunely for the child, one of the boys caught the quick movement out the corner of their eyes.  
He made a gesture towards the aisle and said something, but the others just laughed and shook their heads, saying something about it being too easy of a target.  
Denny gave a small sigh of relief.

  
Someone spoke a string of Russian so fast it sounded like it was slurred.

"Dude what the fuck are you saying?" An American said with a laugh.

"Oh, sorry." He said, his accent dripping with Slavism. "I said that kid looked like the one that scammed my grandfather out of his meds." His English was excellent, despite it being layered with such a cold voice, and an even colder accent. His eyes were shining, an icy blue, edging towards a translucent white. The flickering neon signs reflected in them.

"Shit, really? We could beat his ass up if you wanted to, though he's still an easy target." Another one said.

The group began to eye Denny with inquisition.

The cleaning supplies aisle was literally right behind them.

  
Guy finally entered the store some time later. He began to scan the isles in search of his brother which shouldn't have been too hard considering everyone stayed out of this part of town. Though that still didn't change the fact that Denny was a sneaky little shit and was tiny given he was only 9.

The employees here always seemed so indifferent and were desensitized to violence and threats made against them. Nothing a shotgun couldn't fix. Pedro murmured to Guy about things he needed to buy. But he wasn't here for that. So he continued to look for the younger sibling.

  
Denny froze up.

Shit. He knew enough Russian to understand the guy the first time around and fear sharpened every sense he had as he backed further into his aisle. He considered leaving, then realized that would definitely mark him as a target.  
The boy weighed his options. Either death by gang beatings, or death by Ophelia.

...yeah, he'd take the gang.

He finally found his brother and joined his side. Guy kept a stern glare pointed at the commies, they didn't sit well with him and he knew they might just try something funny. Though he kept his weapons pocketed as he stood his ground.

"Are you okay?" He asked Denny. He might've hated his family for the horrible things they did, but he still cared for his siblings given they were pretty much the only people who he cared for that were real that were worth caring for. They drove him up the wall on the daily, but they still had their rare good moments he looked forward to. That and no one fucks with his brother but him.

  
Another slur of Russian.

"Seriously dude, what the fuck are you saying?" Same American.

"Who's the other kid?" Glass said. One could've thought he was blind if it weren't for the fact he locked eyes with Guy.

"He's Denny's older brother. I heard he was a schizo. He talks to himself sometimes while in the bathroom." Another American said.

The group of five shared a chuckle, and at least one of them curled their pale, lanky fingers around their switchblades.

  
Denny relaxed slightly when Guy appeared. He was nicer then Ophelia, letting Denny wear his old clothes and not being quite so strict, though he did disappear a lot.  
"Y-yeah..."  
The kid started messing with his oversized sleeves trying to exorcise the want to grab Guy's hand, not knowing how well his brother would take that. They may have a better relationship then he and Ophelia did, but Denny wasn't going to push it.

  
Guy did his best to move along his brother out of the isle and away from the thugs.

"Do you know how to hold a gun?" He kept his voice low as he asked the child and hurried him along. The comments about Guy talking to himself boiled his blood, but he did his best to keep his calm facade as he didn't want to spark any fight.

He was surprised Ophelia hasn't just given Denny something to defend himself with yet. He remembered having to fight for his life outside of school- if he ever went. Though he'd generally skipped school, dropping out early on.

Pedro reminded him to get bleach. He glared at the fruit as now wasn't the time for a shopping list.

  
Denny nodded minusculy. "I... can use a pistol."  
Admittedly he was far better with machines then anything his new siblings were good at, but Mitch had at least forced him to know how to use a pistol correctly.

  
"Yeah, he's some fuckin' schizo methhead or something. My mate swears he saw him chattin shite to fuckall."  
One of the other teens piped up. She leant back against the Monster Energy cabinet and took a can, cracking it open, and her ease amongst the group showed some degree of 'leadership'.

  
"Hey, you're supposed to pay for that." A teen no older than Ophelia said from behind the cashier's counter. She said this nonchalantly though, before going back on her phone.

"Whatever the fuck!" The girl scoffed, her Cockney accent thick and her voice shrill. "One of those kids could pay for it." She said, pointing directly at the boys with her Monster-ridden hand. She giggled and said something in perfect Russian, which Glass nodded in agreement to. Two Americans, One Russian, and... One... Englishwoman? White clout goggles rested upon her head, and silver rings decorated her fingers.

These boys and girl were probably the same age as Guy. He was quick to pat one of the pockets of the jacket Denny wore. It was decently heavy and concealed the weapon inside that was kept there at all times.

"Don't be afraid to use it if you need to."

He then straightened his posture from the hunched over position of talking to Denny and slid his hand into his pocket for the glock he brought from home.

"Just back off." Was all Guy requested as he stood far taller than his scrawny brother. Though he was ready to put a bullet between the eyes of those who comment on him talking to himself being a "methhead schizo". He obviously wasn't talking to himself. So why did everyone say that he did when he was clearly talking to Pedro and whoever else he <strike>hallucinated</strike> met when high.

He wondered if he was so on edge because needed to get a fix. Maybe later tonight when Ophelia wouldn't notice him sneak out. Maybe he could avoid her wrath and having his neck wrung.

Though that didn't distract him from the switchblades being pulled and the rising threat of the situation. He pulled out his gun and darkened his glare at the gang. All while keeping his brother behind him.

  
Denny put his hand on the weapon, but kept behind his brother. His reddish hazel eyes flickered between the cleaning supplies aisle behind the teens and the tense standoff itself, considering his chances.

  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, boys I don't think we need the nozhi out." Glass said, but Cockney snapped at him,

"Now, now, Commie, I've currently got fire in my bloodstream." She gripped her knife behind her back, and her sharp, black and silver acrylic nails dug into her Monster drink, extremely close to denting the can and poking holes into it.

"Oi, where's yeh sister? Izzshe here? I heard that slag stole me mum's credit card information!" She pointed the blade at them.

"Cockney, we can't go back into juvie again." Glass warned, putting a hand on her knife-wielding wrist. Wow. Her name was actually Cockney.

She yanked her arm out of his grip with such violence that acid green liquid sloshed out of her energy drink. "Yeah, yeah, Commie. Cowardice azit is with you always." She snarled. Hostility briefly went from the siblings to her ally.

Guy wasn't surprised at the statement of Ophelia stealing someone's personal information. She's done much worse online afterall. He turned to his brother.

"Hurry and go get the bleach. I'll take care of these guys." He didn't want his brother to witness the murderous scene that was about to happen. Not when he was this young. But he was aware that Denny has seen immoral and horrible things nonetheless. Though the two who commented on his <strike>hallucinations</strike> <strike></strike>conversations with his friends would be his first to be lined up in front of his gun.

He wasn't going to let some lowlifes talk badly about him and his brother.

  
"Hey, can you guys, like, not have a gunfight in here? This is my first shift." The cashier said, her hand hovering over the emergency landline, still adamant as always.

Denny scurried away, keeping a hand on the cold metal in his pocket nonetheless.  
He'd seen his fair share of violence... like his mom getting shot to shreds in front of him because a rival mob thought she still associated with Mitch.

Denny bit that memory back, refusing to acknowledge why he'd gained a new 'family'. He flickered down the aisle behind the gang, unnoticed by all.

Guy let out a low growl before pocketing the weapon and following after his brother. He was thankful Ophelia hadn't come along, she would've already torn through the group while Guy just wanted nothing more than to go back to bed or at least somewhere private to indulge himself.

The older brother continued to keep check on their surroundings. His nerves were rigid with paranoia as he suspected that the gang members would still try to pull something violent.

Denny had plucked the bleach from the cabinet while they were all distracted, and slipped the $20 to the cashier nervously.

"Yah, scurry on outta here! Tell your sister I said hullo!" Cockney yelled as he walked away, albeit being 5 feet away from him. The group sheltered their blades, and went back to huddling around the Monster fridge, grumbling with hostility.

"Okay, here's your change. Have fun hiding the body or whatever." The cashier said, slipping Denny around 8 bucks. She slumped back into her chair, face illuminated by her phone's bright screen.

Denny snatched the change, and grabbed the bleach the best he could. It was pretty clear he was struggling with the three large bottles.

Guy helped out with carrying the bleach and was quick to hurry Denny out of there. The banana floating lazily after the two hummed in disappointment. Pedro insisted they go back in and buy the other things they needed, but even if they could go back in they didn't even have the money to be able to purchase necessary supplies for living. What they could loot from people around them would have to suffice for now.

"That was stupid." He commented to no one in particular as his vision cut over his shoulder and confirmed they weren't followed. He wouldn't admit it, but he was glad Denny was okay.

Denny stuck close to his brother, the weight of the weapon in the hoodie pocket a stark reminder of what nearly went down.  
"Y-yeah.... I hope there were no cameras...."  
He repressed a shudder thinking of how Ophelia would flip if she found out.

**Author's Note:**

> REMINDER: WE WILL EDIT THIS LATER LMAO  
update: edited


End file.
